22 Calls and a Hospital
by Taylor Hayes
Summary: No one at Dalton has seen Kurt in days, he's not responding to Blaine's calls or texts-then there's the message Kurt left on his voicemail 4 days ago. So Blaine decides to ask ND what's wrong. But it was worse than he expected, much worse. AU after BIOTA.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**-Wednesday, call received at 4:18 p.m.-**

**Call from Blaine Anderson to Finn Hudson**

"_Hi, Finn. It's Blaine. I need your help. Kurt hasn't been picking up my calls or answering my texts, I think he's avoiding me here at school, and I really need to talk to him._" The silence stretches for a moment. "_Finn?_"

"_Go screw yourself_." The reply is hoarse and angry.

Then there is a "click", followed by the dial tone.

**-Thursday, the front steps of William McKinley Public High School, 3:17 p.m.-**

The immaculately dressed Warbler straightened his jacket -again- then began moving towards the front doors of the hellhole at which Kurt had once been a student.

It was when he was a few steps from the top that someone flew at him.

Flinching, mind shooting back to all of Kurt's stories about the McKinley bullies, he felt a hard blow land on his jaw. Stumbling back a few steps, blinking through the pain and the sudden tears in his eyes, he was shocked to find that the person who had attacked him -and who was being held back by several of the boys from New Directions- was the tall, normally bubbly blonde. What was her name again? Kurt had told him something about Britney Spears… Brittany! That was her name!

"Brittany, I don't know why you did that-" he started, but was quickly cut off as she began screaming.

The rage and despair that twisted her face scared the hell out of Blaine, especially when he actually listened to what she was saying.

"_It's your fault! It's your fault! He was nice and pretty and his hands were soft and he took care of me and watched The Little Mermaid with me and let me sing all the good parts and I loved him, even though he was Capital G gay! But you didn't! You didn't love him, and it's all your fault!_"

"Wha- _What?_"

Then the girl collapsed, sobbing like her heart was broken, and not even when the Latino girl (Santana, if he remembered right) who Kurt had said she was in love with, dropped down to the cement beside her and held her close, rocking Brittany back and forth, did the blonde calm down.

Blaine knew his eyes were huge and panicked and confused as he looked from one member of New Directions to another, and didn't find Kurt anywhere, or Finn. For that matter, the way they were looking at him- A few of them couldn't even meet his gaze, the asian couple was hugging while the girl silently cried, and everyone else was glaring at him like they wanted to rip off his limbs. Rachel stood by herself, separate from the group, and her arms were wrapped tightly around her torso.

"I don't understand. 'Cedes," he turned desperately to the black diva. "Please, what's going on?"

The girl just shook her head, tears in her eyes.

**-Sunday, four days earlier-**

**Sunday, voicemail received at 2:47 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Blaine Anderson**

The message begins with a drunken giggle. _"Blaine. Hi, Blaine. Blaine. You know, I always really liked your name, even though Sanny always calls you Bland 'cause they sound a lot alike. But you're not bland at all. You're dapper and charming and sweet, and you took care of me when you found out what was going on. And I fell in love with you, and I know it's cliché to fall for the first out gay boy I meet, but it's the truth. Which is why I'm not surprised, not really, that you keep breaking my heart. I mean, I'm just a project to you, aren't I? You're the dapper, dapper mentor and I'm the crybaby, bullied gay kid who needs a dapper mentor to lead him back to the light, I suppose. I don't know what it feels like to like someone and have them like me back. I thought maybe it was like that with you and me, after you agreed with the Harry Met Sally thing I said on Valentine's Day, but this just proves I've been fooling myself, again. First Finn, then Sam, and now you. And in the middle of all of that is that neanderthal Karofsky, who I just want to leave me alone finally. But I don't think he will, Blaine, because he's in love with me when I'm not in love with him, so I guess you were right when you said I was like him, because I'm in love with you when you don't like me. And I don't want Karofsky around me, so you probably don't want me around you._

_"Do I seem like a rapist or a sexual predator? I don't know if you think of me that way, but that's how I think of Karofsky, even if I do pity him a teensy bit for how he's scared to come out, but that's how Finn feels about me. I know he tries not to show it anymore, but I noticed since he called me a fag some stuff that I didn't before, like that he always locks the bathroom door, even if he's just brushing his teeth, and he won't change while I'm around, even if it's to put on costumes for glee, and he makes sure not to leave any of his dirty laundry in the bathroom, like he thinks I'll steal it, and I think he tried to find out if I had a journal somewhere, or a diary, to see if I wrote anything about him. He even tried to hack my computer." _A pause, and a pale chuckle._ "Even though he has no idea how, and I probably would have gone ahead and told his mom about the porn he was watching to get back at him, but I used that to blackmail him into letting us go to the party from hell._

_"And I may not believe in God, but I know there's a hell, because it's watching your best friend, and the guy who you are in love with, kissing the same girl who is supposed to be one of your other best friends, even though she knows how you feel, and knowing there's something wrong with you when she isn't even loyal enough to not ask him out the next day, and he says yes, and I was just sitting there wondering what is so repulsive about me that, even though you admitted you kind of like me and were just too scared to try a relationship, and even though you're gay, you'd rather kiss a girl and go out with a girl, who is even one of my best friends, instead of trying to go on a date with me. And then when I tried to explain, and I got mad and said stuff that I didn't believe, because there are people who are bisexual, like Brittany, and I love Brittany and I'm her dolphin and I don't really think it's just a phase for anyone to be bisexual, but I didn't want you or Rachel to get hurt, even though you were hurting me really, really bad, because you two would be bad for each other even if you weren't gay. And then you told me I was just like Karofsky, and I didn't know what to do, and I just wanted to cry and scream and break things, but I couldn't because I'm at Dalton now and a Warbler, so I have to be quiet and fit in, and I realized that I text you and call you and bother you as much as Karofsky does to me, and I just want him to leave me alone, so that must mean that you want me to leave you alone, but I don't know if I can._

_"And if Rachel gets you, that's not fair, because she always beats me at everything, even though my fashion sense is so much better than hers, but that doesn't matter because she's better than I am, and because people love her, when everyone just hates me, or they don't hate me because they don't even see me at all and just want me to be gone, and I miss my Marc Jacobs and Alexander McQueen clothes, because that way I knew people would have to see me, even if I was invisible, and-"_ Broken sobs, before a click, and the message ends.

**tbc…**

**_a/n What? Me? Evil? Noooooo! *snicker* this is one I've had waiting in the wings for a while and finally decided, what the heck, let's just friggin' post it already!_**

**_I've already got the next several chapters written, and am trying to decide whether I have the patience to wait and only put one up every two or three days. We'll see._**

**_And, yes, there will be an _absurd_ amount of angst in this fic. Also, doc manager has been acting weird, so you may have received an alert for this when it was not actually up. CURSE YOU, AQUASCUM! If you did, I apologize._**


	2. 3 to 4 am Sunday

**Chapter One - 3 to 4 a.m. Sunday**

**Sunday, voicemail received at 3:03 a.m**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Jesse St. James**

"_It's kinda funny, 'cause I didn't know I still had you in my phone. But then I was looking through all my contacts, and there you were, plain as day, Jesse St. Sucks. Yeah, it's funny. And then I decided to call you, 'cause that would be funny, too, but it's not as funny as I thought. I wonder what you're doing right now. You're in UCLA in Los Angeles, and that was always so dumb of you to say, 'cause we _knew_ it was in Los Angeles, 'cause that's in its name. But, anyway, I wonder if you're on your way to being as famous as you always wanted to be. And I'm trying to figure out right now if I'm still mad about what you did to Rachel, or if she really, really deserved that, 'cause she can be really horrible sometimes._" There is a stifled gasp. "_Really, really, really mean and she hurts people, and she's selfish and I wish I could throw eggs at her!_" A click and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 3:11 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Rachel Berry**

Message begins with a drunk, pained giggle, then a snarl. _"Your fashion sense sucks and you're not that pretty and you're too loud and annoying and self-centered, even though you're my friend, and I just didn't want you to get hurt, and I didn't want me to get hurt, and I didn't want Blaine to get hurt, and I kept feeling like I was going to have a heart attack, and I knew I wasn't because I'm in really good shape and I eat healthy, like I make my dad eat since his heart attack, and I hate that you always get everything, and maybe if I was a girl or straight it wouldn't matter as much and people would be nicer to me and Blaine would love me back and my friends wouldn't hurt me this way, but I like who I am, or I thought I did, but I don't know anymore, and what's wrong with me, that's so perfectly right with you so that you get everything I want!"_ Sounds like the phone is thrown at something, then is picked up._ "What's wrong with me?"_ The last line is different, as though not spoken into phone, then a click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 3:20 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Mercedes Jones**

_" 'Cedes, I don't know what to do. What did I do? What's wrong with me? I feel like I'm broken and repulsive and nobody wants to be with me anymore, except creepy creeps like Karofsky, and he scares me. 'Cedes, why don't you talk to me anymore? I miss you, and I try to call and text and Skype, but you're always busy, and I know you were mad when I met Blaine and spent so much time with him, and when I thought the tater tot war was stupid, and when I didn't tell you before I transferred to Dalton, but I didn't mean to make you mad. I love you, 'Cedes, and you're my best friend, and my gal pal, and I just wanted to talk to you about stuff like trying to fit in at Dalton with the Stepford robots, and how Karofsky keeps showing up and the guards caught him, but he sent me a picture he took of my window, and he knows which room is mine and where I sleep, and he scares me, and I wanted to tell you, but I didn't think you'd care, because no one cares when I get hurt or when I'm scared, and I'm really sorry, 'Cedes. I just wanted to talk to you…"_ A click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 3:39 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Brittany S. Pierce**

_"Hi, Brit-Brit. I miss you. You know, I think you're magic, because you always know how to make me feel better. And I love it when you call me your dolphin, and I wish I could have one exception to being gay, because it would be you, Boo._

_"When you call me, it makes me smile, no matter how anal Wesley is being in Warblers, or how bad I did on a test, or how much I miss all my friends at McKinley._

_"I love you, Brittany."_ A click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 3:39 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Jacob ben-Israel**

"_I called _who?_ I have his number? Why would I want to have his num-?"_ A click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 3:47 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Sue Sylvester**

_"You know, the safest I ever felt was when I was a cheerio, and I loved it so much, and I don't know why you are always so nice to me, even though everyone says you like me, but I don't know why, because the only thing I'm good for is fashion advice, and you hate fashion and only ever wear those horrible, tacky track suits, even though you could look really amazing with a makeover, and I was appalled when I realized I actually miss that disgusting polyester uniform, but it made me feel safe, but I was just so tired at the end of last year, and so this year I didn't come back to cheerios, and I know you were disappointed. I know you tried your best to keep me safe from Karofsky, and that there wasn't anything you could do, and that Figgins and the board of directors are homophobes, so of course they didn't care about keeping me safe._

_"But you did, and I'm so grateful for that, and the only time I've ever really felt needed and important was when I was in cheerios, even though I still don't know why you named them after a breakfast cereal._

_"Thank you, Coach. You're a good person, and I won't spread it around, because I know you rule by fear, and you're good at it, so I won't screw it up, even though that's all I'm good at."_ A click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 3:54 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to David Karofsky**

_"I hate you and I hate being afraid of you and I hate that you stole my first boy kiss and I hate that I still feel sorry for you because you hate yourself more than you hate me, and I never want to see you again, but you won't leave me alone, and I just want you to stop!"_ A click, and the message ends.

**_a/n Yes, you are absolutely allowed to hate me. Heck, I hate myself. But I will promise you right now, this is not a death!fic. Just extraordinarily angst-ridden._**


	3. 5 to 6 am Sunday

**Chapter Two - 4 to 5 a.m. Sunday**

**Sunday, voicemail received at 4:08 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Artie Abrams**

"_Hey, Artie. You did better than me, even though we both have something wrong with us that makes people look at us funny._

"_And people leave you alone because of it, then people hurt me because I'm different. That… I hate that. I wish people were smarter, or just better._" A click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 4:15 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Thad Harwood**

"_You know, I wish we were better friends. I just spent so much time with Blaine, and Blaine was- Blaine was…_

"_But you were always kinda weird, because with the Warblers, you were always all about the rules, and then you'd be the one in charge of midnight sing-a-longs, and Halo marathons, and I realized I wanted to be your friend. Then Blaine told everyone what I said about people who were bi, and it wasn't the truth, it just hurt a lot to see Blaine kissing- Blaine was kissing Rachel, and going out with her, and it was like I was nothing! And you guys never bullied me, 'cause that was against the rules, but I could tell you were mad, and that Blaine said something, and they all thought I was just a big hypocrite, and I'm sorry about that, but I thought Dalton would be better._

"_And you would have been a good friend, but I was too blinded by Mr. Dapper St. Dapper to see that, and I wish…_

"_But wishing doesn't make anything happen. Ever. So what's the point?_"

There's a long sigh, and the sound of someone dropping their head against the phone, then a "click", and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 4:21 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Becky Jackson**

"_Hi, Becky. Are you doing good? You were supposed to take care of the cheerio squad after I couldn't do it anymore. And I'm sorry I never took you out on that date I promised you, but everything just got a little crazy._

"_You've always been really sweet, and I just want you to remember that you're one of the best people I know, ever._" A click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 4:23 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Finn Hudson**

_"I'm sorry, Finn. I'm sorry I creeped you out, but I just really liked you. And I'm glad Dad and Carole are happy, and that Dad finally has the son he always wanted, and that Carole takes good care of him, and I really wish we could be brothers, real brothers, and that maybe we could even be friends. And I'm really, really, really sorry. I know it was stupid to expect you to like me, because people don't like me that way, not even Blaine, and he's gay._

_"Bye, Finn."_ A click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 4:36 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Sam Evans**

"_I really did just want to sing with you. I did hope you might be a little gay, but even more than that, I just wanted a friend. A guy friend, because I've never had a guy friend, because they always known, even before I said anything, that I was capital G gay._

"_And you were nice and said I sounded like Faith Hill when I sang, and you didn't seem scared of the gay, which was really nice. I just wanted to be your friend._

"_But Finn said I was being creepy and you'd get beat up if we sang together, and Dad didn't want me singing with you either, and he thought I was being all predatory and stuff… So I'm sorry if I made you feeling awkward_.

_"And then you got hit by Karofsky, and I felt really guilty, and Quinn was right, that black eye was actually kind of hot, 'cause you actually tried to protect me, even though you didn't really talk to me after everything with the duet stuff._

"_And I said thanks then, but I wanna say it again, and that I kinda wished I could fall in love with you after that, 'cause you wouldn't have been like Finn. And that was nice._" A click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 4:56 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to William Schuester**

_"I miss being in glee, even when your lessons were stupid and you talked about not discriminating, and then you would say something that unintentionally hurt me. I miss the idiotic 80's rock, and your bad rapping, and your hideous sweatervests, and the weird dance moves and how you made us all feel like we were important. I liked that."_ A click, and the message ends.


	4. 4 to 5 am Sunday

**Chapter Three - 5 to 6 a.m. Sunday**

**Sunday, voicemail received at 5:01 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Tina Cohen-Chang**

_"That time in the basement, when you and me and Britt were recording Single Ladies wasn't the first time I pretended to like you. And I do like you, Tina, because you're an awesome asian vampire who has a really pretty voice. But I don't like-like you because you're not a boy, and I'm gay. And when I was thirteen, and I was still lying to my dad, and he asked if there was anyone I had a crush on, I said you, because you were nice to me. You let me borrow your book in English when I forgot mine, and you didn't say mean things after, or sanitize it so you wouldn't catch the gay, and that was nice."_ A click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 5:12 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to David Thompson**

"_You know, I really thought you and Wes were good guys the first time I met you. And now I'm not so sure. Because I know I'm not like the other Warblers, and I don't fit the image of a perfect Dalton robot, like the rest of you try to. And I've been trying._

"_But that scares me. I'm loud and flamboyant and out and you want me to pack it all up in a box and forget about it, and I'm so scared that I'll forget who I am if I do that._" There is the sound of liquid sloshing, and someone gulping down a drink. "_You guys are so good at making me think there's something wrong with me. And I feel like nobody at Dalton. I'm safe, but I'm invisible all over again. And I've been invisible before, but now I can't even stand out by being the gay kid, because that makes me too different. Am I always gonna be too different, no matter where I go, and no one will want to be around me because of it?_

"_Wait, did I call David, or Wes? I don't know… Doesn't matter, you're both-_" Unintelligible muttering is heard, then a click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 5:19 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Wesley Montgomery**

"_Oh, so it was David I called. Huh, well…_" There is a long pause, then a hiccup. "_Ooopsie-daisy, I didn't hang up, huh? Well, you suck, Wes! Or… David? Wait…_" A click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 5:37 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Noah Puckerman**

_"I'm a little bit claustrophobic, because of you. And the dumpster tosses and when you used to shove me in lockers. I got stuck once for an entire day, and after that I really didn't like small spaces._

_"But it's not as bad anymore, because of you too. That time we got stuck in the elevator at the mall, when Santana dragged you with us while we were shopping, and I was going to the bookstore and you were going to look at music, and the elevator stopped, and we couldn't get out. And I wanted to panic, but I didn't want to do it in front of you, because you might hurt me or see it as a weakness, and I didn't want to be weak. But then you started talking, and we even sang a little bit. And by the time the firemen got us out, I wasn't as scared anymore."_ A click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 5:40 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Quinn Fabray**

_"I miss the nice Quinn, who wouldn't ignore her friends or cheat on her boyfriend or stop responding to my calls and texts when I really needed to talk to her. I miss her a lot."_ A click, and the message ends.

**Sunday, voicemail received at 5:59 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Santana Lopez**

"_You're a bitch. I was always jealous that you could be a bitch, but no one fought you about it, they just got the hell out of your way. And I know you and Brittany are together a lot, even if you don't want to say anything. And I know why you don't want to say anything, because everyone's a bunch of jerky bullies, and it's scary when they know that you care about someone they don't think you should care about - not that way._

"_And that's really sad. And I know that Brittany doesn't care, but you do. But that's stupid because everyone's afraid of you, so they wouldn't… well, they _would_ try, but then you would rip them apart and they'd leave you alone, and that's good. You shouldn't be afraid anymore, like that. 'Cause you're worth more than that, and Brittany's worth a lot more, and you should make sure she knows._" A click, and the message ends.


	5. 6 to 7 am Sunday

**Chapter Four - 6 to 7 a.m. Sunday**

**Sunday, call received at 6:10 a.m.**

**Call from Kurt Hummel to Burt Hummel**

_"I love you, Daddy."_

_"Wha-what? Kurt? You sound-"_

_"You know that, right, Daddy? That I love you? More than my car and my clothes and Lady Gaga and all the musicals in the world. Combined. That's how much I love you."_

_"Kurt, are you drunk?"_

_"Yup. Noah was right. If you sit outside the 7-11 and look sad, people buy you stuff. Like chocolate and beer."_

_"Kurt…"_

_"Don't be mad, Daddy! Please, don't be mad! I just thought it might help, but it didn't. Everything is still hurting and sad."_

_"Oh shit. Kurt, are you okay? Where are you? I'll be right there, I promise, just tell me where you are!"_

_"I don't want you to worry, Dad, 'cause then you might have another heart attack. But you have Carole, and she takes care of you. Right?"_

_"Kurt-"_

_"I told her to take care of you. Is she taking care of you?"_

_"Yes, Kurt, she's taken real good care of me and won't let me eat anything but that damn rabbit food you always insisted on. Won't even let me eat a damn Twinkie. Now, please, Kurt, please tell me where you are?"_

_"That's a good thing, because Twinkies are all full of saturated fat and corn syrup and other things that aren't good for you, and you need to be healthy."_

_"Kurt, where the hell are you?"_

_"Oh, sorry, out by the water. It looks pretty right now, with the way the sun is just coming up and making it all sorts of colors and-"_

_"Water? Kurt, please move away from the water. Are you on the bridge? Is that where you are, Kurt? If you are, please, just sit down in the middle of the bridge and wait for me, okay? Please, Kurt."_

There is no response except heavy breathing, then the sound of the phone dropping to the ground, followed by a loud splash, and a scream.

_"Kurt! KURT! KURT, PICK UP THE PHONE, GODDAMMIT, RIGHT NOW! KURT!"_

The sound of panicking, and of tires squealing. Then there is a click, and the call ends.

**Sunday, call received at 6:16 a.m.**

**Call from Burt Hummel to Carol Hudson**

"_Carol! Oh, god, Carol, I think Kurt just fell in the river!_"

"_What? Honey, slow down, what do you mean-?_"

"_Kurt! _Kurt!_ He called me, and he sounded drunk, and he said he was out by the river, but he kept talking! And I couldn't get him to stay back, and then something hit the water, and Kurt wouldn't answer, and someone was screaming, and, _god_, Carol, I don't-! I can't-!_"

"_Okay! Okay, I'm getting in the car right now! Are you driving from the shop?_"

"_Yeah. Yeah, that's where I was when he- w-when he…_"

"_I'll call the police, and you hurry, but don't you _dare_ get in a crash, Burt Hummel, or Kurt will kill me! Okay?_"

"_O-okay. Love you._"

"_Love you too._"

There are a pair of simultaneous clicks.

**Sunday, called received at 6:17 a.m.**

**Call from Carol Hudson to 911 (Police Dispatch)**

"_Lima County Police Department, what is your emergency?_"

"_My husband just called. He thinks our son fell in the river!_"

"_Which river, ma'am?_"

"_The one out by the I-90 freeway entrance, in Lima_."

"_We'll send an ambulance and a deputy to the scene immediately. Please stay on the line._"

"_Yeah. Yes, okay, yes._"

There is a short pause.

"_Ma'am, can I get the name of the child?_"

"_Kurt. Kurt Hummel. I'm his step-mother, Carol. His father is driving out there right now._"

"_He didn't see Kurt fall in?_"

"_No, he was talking to Kurt on the phone. He said Kurt sounded drunk, and then he heard someone fall in the water, and someone was yelling. And Kurt stopped answering or responding to Burt._"

"_How old is Kurt?_"

"_He's seventeen._"

"_And your husband believed Kurt was intoxicated when he called?_"

"_Yes._"

"_Is there any chance it was drugs, or just alcohol?_"

"What?_Why the hell does that matter?_"

"_I'm relaying the information you're giving me to the paramedics. When they arrive, it will help for them to have as much knowledge as possible. I repeat, is there any chance Kurt was on any type of drugs when he called your husband?_"

"_No. Kurt hates drugs. He rarely even takes asprin when he's hurt himself at practice._"

"_Most likely, he has merely had alcohol then?_"

"_Yes._"

"_Ma'am, do you have any idea where he would have gotten the alcohol?_"

"_I- I don't know. We've got beer in the house at home, and a few bottles of cooking wine, but nothing else. I don't know where else he could have gotten it._"

"_Does he have any medical conditions that the paramedics should be aware of?_"

"_No. None._"

"_Let me pass the information along. Please stay on the line._"

"_Right. Sure._"

Another pause, this one longer.

"_Ma'am? Are you still there?_"

"_Yes! Yes, I am._"

"_The paramedics arrived on the scene and found a couple who had been out jogging had pulled your son from the river. The man was doing chest compressions, while the woman administered CPR. The paramedics have taken over and are transporting him to the Lima Heights Hospital._"

"_Oh god. _Oh god._ Is Kurt okay?_"

"_I'm sorry, but I don't have that information. If you'll please go to the Lima Heights Hospital, they will have Kurt. The deputy is staying on the scene to take the statements of the couple, and will redirect your husband to the hospital when he arrives._"

"_Of course, thank you!_"

There is a click, and the call ends.

**_a/n I've never had to actually make an emergency call like this, so I'm winging it on what they might actually ask…_**


	6. Final Chapter

**Chapter 5**

**Monday, voicemail received at 2:18 p.m.**

**Call from Blaine Anderson to Kurt Hummel**

"_Kurt? Listen, I know you're mad, and I said some things I'm not proud of, but this is getting silly. You're not answering your phone, or any of the texts I send. You're avoiding me at school… I haven't seen you since last week! You even skipped the Warbler meeting today._

"_I just… I need to talk to you, Kurt. The argument we had… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that about you being like Karofsky. You're not. I know you're not._

"_And then you left me that message yesterday… I just, I want to make sure you're okay, that's all. So, please, Kurt, call me, text me, anything._"

There is a moment of silence, as though an internal debate is occurring.

"_I miss you…_" A click, and the message ends.

**-Thursday, Room 26 on the second floor of Lima Heights Hospital, 3:48 p.m.-**

Blaine stood silently in the quiet room. The only sounds were the quiet breathing of the three sleeping individuals scattered on chairs around the room, and the monitoring noises of the different machines hooked to the figure in the sterile, white hospital bed.

Back at the high school, as the other kids continued to watch him silently, Rachel had slowly moved forward. She'd never said a word, just led him to her car. He had climbed in the passenger seat, and sat in the uncomfortable silence until they reached the hospital. Then she had simply whispered a room number, and he had gone on alone.

Kurt was always pale. Blaine was aware of that. It had been one of the first things the older boy noticed about the countertenor. Now, though, he appeared almost translucent.

And a face meant for expression was blank - no emotion showing. His whole body was too still, and seemed so much smaller than before.

Blaine had spent so much time picturing the other boy as someone who took up space simply by being himself. Kurt had charisma and presence that made him appear larger than life.

Now he was still, tucked unmoving under blankets only a few shades whiter than his skin.

"Kurt…" he whispered, partly so he wouldn't wake Burt, Carol and Finn, but mostly because the circumstances simply demanded softness. It felt wrong to speak any louder, like yelling in a church. "Kurt, I'm so sorry. God, I'm so sorry. If this is my fault… Kurt, please wake up. Please, Kurt, I need you to be okay."

He hadn't noticed himself moving forward, his fingers wrapping around the slim hand that Kurt's father wasn't holding in an unconscious grip like iron. Now that he was touching Kurt, though, Blaine finally admitted everything.

"I like you, Kurt. Of course I like you. Maybe even love you. How could I not? But I was scared.

"High school romances aren't supposed to last. And I was terrified that you only liked me because I was the first out gay guy you'd ever met. Meanwhile, here I was, liking you more and more each day. And I tried to stop myself, because you looked up to me. I knew it, and I didn't want to abuse that.

"I thought… I thought you would figure out, sooner or later, that you were worthy of someone better than me. And I couldn't stand that. The simple idea of you being with someone else, it made me sick to my stomach.

"But you just kept caring about me, and trusting me, even after I gave you the worst advice possible. First I tell you to confront your bully, and the next thing I know, you're calling me say that he's closeted and gay and a homophobe who kissed you. Do you have any idea how much I wanted to bawl when you sat there, tears in your eyes, looking so damn beautiful and perfect, even while crying, and told me that that was your first kiss? All I wanted, at that moment, was to lean over and give you a better kiss to remember the day by, only I didn't dare. You were so vulnerable and open, and I thought it would be taking advantage." Blaine sighed, scrubbed a hand over his face, felt water pricking at the corners of his eyes.

"It made no sense. I'd barely known you a few days, and you already affected me so deeply. I kept pretending it wasn't that overwhelming, kept insisting I play the mentor. And I convinced myself that, after you transferred, you were safe. It wasn't safe enough though. I knew everyone would like you more if you were less obvious, if you started controlling yourself. And I also gave you that advice to try fitting in for more selfish reasons - I didn't want anyone else to see how vibrant you are. I didn't want anyone else to fall in love with you, because maybe one of them would break through that hero-worship you seemed to have for me, and take you away.

"And then this whole thing with Rachel… And Jeremiah before that. I convinced myself, both times, that I cared about them. That it was the right thing to do, because otherwise I'd never be able to stop thinking about _you_, Kurt."

He couldn't stop the gasp that tore up his throat, or the overwhelming need to sink to his knees besides the bed and rest his forehead on that soft hand.

"Kurt, _please, please_, you need to wake up. Your dad and Finn and your step-mom, and all of the McKinley glee club, they need you.

"And I- I need you, Kurt. I need you to wake up and tell me how much of an oblivious jackass I've been. So, please, wake up, Kurt."

Then he broke down, and he couldn't breathe, and everything inside hurt.

Suddenly, large, warm arms had wrapped around him, and a deep, gruff voice that Blaine recognized as Kurt's overprotective father was whispering, "Hang on, kid. We need to stay strong. It'll be alright. It's got to be alright."

As Kurt continued to lie without a twitch or shift, Burt and Blaine held each other and cried.

**end.**

**_a/n DON'T KILL ME, PLEASE! There is a sequel to this fic that explains more, and revolves around the time Kurt is in a coma in the hospital. It's called "22 Letters and Notes, and a Song". It is followed by another sequel fic called "22 Therapy Sessions and Realizations, & a Decision"._**

**_Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and put this story on alert, or favorites! Your response has been overwhelming, and definitely helped me to get this finished so quickly._**


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